Sonja Eiesland
Sonja Eiesland has enjoyed a diverse international career, both as a violinist and an educator. She began her career as Principal Second Violin in Monterrey, Mexico’s full-time professional symphony orchestra, while also performing with various area chamber ensembles. After moving back to the U.S., she won positions as a first violin in the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Principal Second Violin of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, and Second Violin in the Sioux City Symphony String Quartet. She also appeared as a soloist with the Aberdeen Civic Symphony. Since returning to her home state of Colorado, she has won positions with the Fort Collins Symphony and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, and plays regularly in other groups across the region.
Sonja’s love of sharing music with the younger generations began when, as a college student, she initiated a violin program for children in an under-privileged rural area outside of Santiago, Chile. While in Monterrey, Mexico, she taught violin at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. In South Dakota, she ran a private violin studio, and was the Lead Violin Instructor for a program that brought both music instruction and family wellness services to children in Title 1 schools. Sonja now runs a thriving private violin studio, in which she teaches many delightful students, ages 3 through adult.
Sonja holds a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College, and Master of Music Education from Indiana University, with a dual emphasis in Violin Performance and Violin Pedagogy. She also participated in master classes and recitals at the Ticino Musica Festival in Lugano, Switzerland. She has completed numerous teacher training courses with the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and regularly attends national conferences, in order to further develop her teaching skills.
Get to know Sonja
Where are you from?
Boulder, CO
How did you first get started playing?
As a 7-year-old, I had a few friends who were already playing violin, so I wanted to learn too!
What’s your favorite thing about playing your instrument?
I love the range of sounds and expressive capabilities of the instrument. I also love how the violin is challenging and fulfilling for hours of playing and practicing alone at home, but also is a very social instrument. In the context of the symphony, you are part of a large section playing the same part, so you need to be very attuned to your colleagues in order to make meaningful music together as a group. It’s also an instrument that you can take anywhere, can play on the move, and easily exchange glances (good or bad!) and even laugh with your fellow musicians while playing.
What do you like to do outside of music?
I like to get outside, travel, read, garden, cook, and spend time with my friends and family (and cats).
Why is music important to you?
Music is a very meaningful form of human expression, both on a personal level, and as something that I feel privileged to be able to share with others.